Currently, if a user would like to use (or control) more than one personal computer at the same time, then the user has the following options. First, the user can manually switch between multiple sets of keyboards and cursor control devices (e.g., mice), where each keyboard and cursor control device will control one of the personal computers. Second, the user can use a switch box to switch one keyboard and mouse between the multiple computers. Third, the user can use a product such as, for example, NetMeeting from MICROSOFT CORPORATION, in order to access another computer with one monitor. The NetMeeting product is a software application for audio and video conferencing, and offers sharing of desktop video, audio, chat, and file transfer functionality. Fourth, the user can log into a machine (e.g., a UNIX machine), but will not have graphical access. Fifth, the user can use a product, such as, for example, ReflectionX in order to view the graphical content of another machine. The ReflectionX product connects a personal computer user to graphical and character-based applications on UNIX, LINUX and OpenVMS hosts.
Some conventional programs allow the user to view the other screen in a window (rather than taking up the entire screen), so that the user can technically view more than one screen at a time, but the screens will then “overlap” each other and share the same monitor. However, none of the conventional programs permit each of the computer screens to be viewed on its own separate monitor, connected to its own computer, and controlled by a single mouse & keyboard. Furthermore, none of the above products permits a user to access multiple computers with a single keyboard and cursor control device (e.g., mouse) and permit the user to view and control the multiple computers with the single keyboard and cursor control device.
Therefore, the current technology is limited in its capabilities and suffers from at least the above constraints and deficiencies.